The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-01-14
MANkATo FREE Press
FRIDAY. JANUARY Ia. 1887.
EDUCATIONAL.
The Amount Of A .aisttncs it Is Well Ca
Render Ono Who II Trying to
Obtain aa E.IueltIon.
The Educational Thinkars-. Dull Pupils
Public Opinion an Il IueatiOnal
Topics.
HELP THEM ALONG.

HELP THEM ALONG.
There Is always a prihos about the
effort of any poor boy or girl anxious
to be educated, and trying TO find the
next UNDERGROUND overhead. and 30
climb higher. Whether Ihe case in
hand DO one over the SEATS. like Luther
singing for bread in the hungry streets
of Eiscnach; or at home like our Garfield
pushing the plane at carpenters
bench, such Efforts always awaken q
peculiar interest, What strain there
is each year on the inventive faculties
of host in our land to know how to
get along and keep at school. Then
comes some very practical pull Of the
muscles. As agents, they are selling
books; rs tea hers. they may be found
in some red sugar-bOx known as the
''school ut the corners; as mechanics,
they toll in the shops. remember
reaching the Crawford House one wild
was abroad among the White Hills. In
the great parlor the flames flashed
brilliantly in the wide fireplace. while
the sparks chased one another briskly
up the black-throated chimney. At the
piano clustered several Young men who
had been students at New Hampshire
academy, but that season had been
serving rs walters in the hotel. Out
side the rain dripped sombrely and the
wind kept up its monotonous moan,
but within echoed tho skilled notes of
those bright young walters. The
mountain hotels have been good friends
to many students from academy and
college.
1t has always been an interesting
point to determine the amount of help
It is we'll to render one who is trying TO
help himself or herself. We all recog-
nize the fact that the very disposition
to work is one of the best prophesies OF
success 1t is the strip of bright sky
after dreary day, and it is gold-vane
pointing toward fair weather. The boy
asking about his fathers inheritance.
was told by that parent: my Inherit
.ance? ! Twill tell you what it was; two
good hands and an honest purpose to
make the best use in my power Of my
hands and of the time God gave me. "
The man had inherited the certainty
of success, because fired by this purpose
to do something and to keep doing.
Garfield has been credited with this:
ut Is notion of mine, that if the dis
position and ability to do hard wak
and keep it up steadily be not the
proper definition of genius, it is at least
true that these qualities are the best
possible substitute for genius, perhaps
better than genius" 1t would be a
serious mistake to dull in any way the
lustre of this diamond quality. No one
wishes by injudlcious help to pauperize
the worker. 1t would be an occasion
for regret if the wings given him and
designed to help him fly should be
plucked of their feathers and only stuff
a bed of sleepy ease where the student
forgets the nature of true ambition.
But those are exceptional cases. II we
have picked out young man or woman
having in them the enthusiasm of work
our help will not put out this fire. II
will save them from the damper Of
pecuniary worry interfering with the
success of an educational course, and
prevent the encroachments of bread
and-butter duties on their time for study
IL any of us have ourselves been helped
in younger days, we can appreciate the
force OF this, and remember that one
way to prove our gratitude to those now
dead and our seniors is to extend like
help to those living and our juniors. Il
may be a direct gift loan, or 9
scholarship. Any way. our capacity fol
help is equal to a hand of sympathy
and kind word to those trying to find
higher round (standing on nothing il
would seem), and cordial grip and 6
sympathetic word arc always eppreei
ted.-Rev. Edt1drd a. Rand.
THE GREAT EDUCATIONAL THINKERS
Is it true that for the average teaches
he great educational thinkers have ex.
listed in vainp Is it true that the ma
jority of teachers depend upon devices.
rather than principles, for their SUGGEST
We do not so charge, we do not SO
think, but we know that the charge is
freely made by some of the critics OF
the American school system, and il
there be any foundation for it the soon
er we clear ourselves from the suspicion
that it is true the better. We are col
Letting some facts upon this matter,
and do not care to speak until we can
speak from reliable data. This we do
know, that the fraternity needs nothing
30 much as it needs a universal profess
sional appreciation of the great princi-
pies of the great thinkers on educational
subjects in all ages. 1t is reflection
upon the profession, when all the
enthusiasm of the day centers on
methods" rather than on principles,
when teachers hunger for devices and
reject philosophy. Our experience leads
us to believe that the fault is with the
leaders rather than with the rank and
file; and we believe any audience Of
teachers will be more responsive to a
fervent, skillful, common-sense presen-
tation of the philosophy of great think
ers on educational themes, than they
will be to any possible presentation Of
methods Of teaching any subject, ever
introduced into the schoolroom. We
believe that it is the grandest mission
that any American of this generation
can accept, to popularize, in the high
and noble sense of the term, the great
est thoughts of the grandest men of all
time in educational matters. To this
work let us set ourselves with all the
wisdom, freshness, and skill we can
command. We have promised ourselves
to lend hand in this work in all ways,
at all times; and we call upon our Co
laborers everywhere to join in such a
mission. Let us send thrill of enthu-
siasm through every institute, associa-
ton, college. and normal school,
through every teachers head and heart,
until the great educational thinkers
of the ages touch the humblest Ameri-
can child.
DULL PUPILS.
Common school studies do not require
the talent 1t is thought one must have
to draw or paint; SO. if perseverance
will accomplish much in that line. WHY